A Polish truck driver who caused a massive crash involving 50 vehicles on a German autobahn will be sent to a psychiatric hospital instead of prison, the German court ruled.
The Final Chapter of the High-Profile Highway Rampage
The German court in Hagen has concluded the highly publicized case of the tragic highway rampage that took place in November 2024, involving a Polish driver of a truck. The 30‑year‑old man is to be permanently admitted to a psychiatric facility. He has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and deemed not criminally responsible at the time of the incident. The court determined he caused numerous crashes during a psychotic episode, injuring 23 people.
Chaos on the Motorways
The driver left a trail of destruction on the A1 and A46 autobahns. His rampage covered about 60 kilometres and involved nearly 50 vehicles. The court considered this an attempted murder with dangerous public safety measures in 48 cases, along with causing serious bodily injury. Because of his mental disorders, he drove in a slalom, performing abrupt maneuvers.
He Pleaded for Forgiveness
On the first day of the trial, the man asked for forgiveness. “I am very sorry for everything,” he said, crying. He added that he really regrets it and does not know how to make amends.
His Confession of Mental Turmoil
The driver claimed that in the three days before the tragic drive he had not slept and was hearing voices. “I was afraid for my son in Poland, I was scared something would happen to him,” he said. Thus he took the wheel, hoping to reach his child as soon as possible.
Article from Deutsche Welle
